Tag: paranormal

Happy Release Day! I’ve been waiting ages to share this one with you! Grab it this week for the special release day price of 99cents on Kindle, Kobo, Nook, or iBooks.

A Familiar DarknessSoul Ties book 1

Archer is a magician with a few more tricks up his sleeve than even the savviest street performer could imagine. Devilishly handsome and full of dark secrets, his devil-may-care attitude came at a price and unfortunately for him, the devil may care after all.
When he meets Hannah, a runaway whose art is more than it seems, he’s determined to keep her and her drama at arm’s length. But their souls are tied together with bonds that won’t be ignored and it’s going to take all his skill to keep her safe from the horde that follows her every move.

Earlier this week I introduced you to a brand new site created just for fans of YA indie fiction, The YA Storytellers Society. Twice each month members of the society will blog about a common topic. This week’s topic is Creepy & Lovin’ It. So, here’s a creepy excerpt from my book, To Light the Path.

Merrilyn sat staring into the fire, debating with herself silently over all the things the Dream Stealer had said to her. She couldn’t hope any longer that he would stay away, but at the same time, she didn’t want to hear his promises anymore. She knew he couldn’t keep them; they had to be lies. Still, she wondered about the man who could invade her thoughts so easily. Who was he, and what did he really want with her? She hoped tonight to find out.

She took her place by the fire Aiden had built and tried to force herself to sleep. Instead, sleep eluded her. She tossed and turned long after the others were snoring. Merrilyn wondered if maybe she had been foolish to think she would hear his voice again so soon. With a deep sigh, she gave up trying to sleep and watched the smoke curl up toward the stars.

The clouds were thick tonight and a chill filled the air. She was glad for her warm blankets and snuggled deeper into them. Justan’s arm fell off of her and he snored loudly before rolling over to face the opposite direction.

Merrilyn turned back to stare at the fire and nearly jumped in surprise. The smoke had changed. Instead of the thin wisp rising slowly away from the dying flames, it now billowed into a large cloud that puffed and grew as she watched.

The Dream Stealer’s voice called to her, and Merrilyn tried not to smile in relief.

“You were waiting for me?” he asked, a hint of laughter in his voice this time. “I am a little surprised, Merrilyn. It seems you can’t decide how you feel about me.”

Her mind had been drawing its own picture of him for weeks. Now she wondered if his face would match the beautiful voice she heard singing in her dreams.

The smoke billowed suddenly, and a man appeared stepping out of the haze. Though she could not at first see his face clearly, her first thought was that he was the most handsome man she had ever seen.

He smiled at that. He was dark, his hair a deep brown, almost black, and his eyes were the same. He wore a black cloak that covered most of him.

The smoke swirled around him, pooling at his feet and then rushing away along the ground. She looked around, surprised to find herself standing at the top of a mountain. She could see the land stretching out all around her in every direction. It was beautiful and she wondered about all the places she had never seen. She gazed at the expansive scene in wonder.

“It could be yours,” he said softly beside her.

She turned to look up at him, searching his face, eager to read his expression now that she could. But it told her nothing more. He watched her calmly, waiting for her reply.

“Who are you to give it to me?” she asked at last.

He laughed. “What a clever question. Haven’t you guessed?”

Merrilyn shook her head.

“Ah, well then. I have a question for you,” he said with a smile. “Why did you want to see me?”

He took her hand and raised it to his lips. Then, he turned it over, running his thumb across her wrist where her pulse throbbed a bit quicker. His smile widened as he pressed a kiss into the palm of her hand.

She watched him with a mixture of fear and fascination. He lifted an eyebrow as he watched the play of emotions on her face.

“Shall I answer that for you?” he asked, teasingly.

“I want to know what it is you want from me,” she said at last.

“I only want to give you all that you desire. Surely you cannot object to that.”

She appraised him warily, and his lips twisted into a smile.

“Ah, I forgot. You don’t trust me.”

He sighed dramatically.

“I suppose I will just have to convince you then,” he said. “Come with me and I will show you.”

Her eyes widened at this suggestion.

He waited, hand outstretched for her, his eyes locked on hers. At last, with a deep breath for courage, she took his hand and fog billowed at her feet. It grew into a great cloud, swirling around her until she could no longer see anything but the Dream Stealer smiling down at her.

Slowly, the fog faded. They appeared in a stone chamber that reminded her of the king’s great room back in Nomar. It held no furniture except an enormous throne made of solid stone. It was black and as her eyes travelled the room, Merrilyn noticed scorch marks along the walls and floor. Strange since the room no longer smelled of fire.

“This could be yours,” he said softly, pulling her further into the room. “Here, you could sit on a throne and rule the nations.”

He pointed to the far wall where several large windows looked out over a great valley. She stepped closer, staring out at the land below. From here it seemed as though she could see the entire world.

“All of this could be yours, if you will choose it.”

He stared down into her eyes and she felt her pulse quicken. “I will see to it that you have all that you want, all that you long for. I will make you the greatest woman who has ever lived. All will know your name and speak it with reverence.”

She glanced away from his intense gaze and looked again out the windows at the world below. It was dark now, as though a storm were growing and the clouds choked out all the moonlight, obscuring the earth below from her sight.

Merrilyn took a deep breath, suddenly fearful. Something deep within her warned of an unseen danger and she tried to understand it, to see it clearly, but it eluded her. She looked up at the man beside her and saw how he watched her with coolness, as though he understood the reason for her fear better than she.

Melissa Pearl was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but has spent much of her life abroad, living in countries such as Jordan, Cyprus and Pakistan… not to mention a nine month road trip around North America with her husband. “Best. Year. Ever!!” She now lives in China with her husband and two sons. She is a trained elementary teacher, but writing is her passion. Since becoming a full time mother she has had the opportunity to pursue this dream and her debut novel hit the internet in November 2011. Since then she has produced four more books and has a YA fantasy trilogy coming out this year.

“I am passionate about writing. It stirs a fire in my soul that I never knew I had. I want to be the best writer I can possibly be and transport my readers into another world where they can laugh, cry and fall in love.”

One series that I have read over and over in my time is the Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers. Those books have it all – awesome romance, excellent action and tension, amazing descriptions, plus a deep message running through the books (if you’re into that kinda thing – which I am). They made me laugh, cry and fall in love. Haha 🙂 Just my type of story.

2) Is there an author you could be compared to or popular fictional characters your book’s characters could relate to and why?

Hmmm – how do you answer that question without coming across as pretentious? My Time Spirit Trilogy has been compared to Twilight in the sense of an intense love story. I wouldn’t say my writing is super fancy, but I know how to tell a fast paced story with lots of emotion and tension.

3) Can you give us your favorite quote from one of your books and explain it?

Ooo – I have so many. Little moments between my characters are so precious to me. I can feel everything they are feeling and I love it. Here is a favourite of mine, which has also received some highlights. It’s a quote from Golden Blood (Book 1 in the Time Spirit Trilogy).

“How are you okay with this?” Gemma took a step back. “I can travel through time!”

Harrison shrugged and closed the distance between them. “Hey, I was cool with alien, this isn’t much different.”

“I’m a total freak!”

“Yeah.” He grinned as he threaded his fingers through her belt loops and pulled her towards him. “But you’re my freak.” His breath tickled her skin as he leaned towards her and whispered, “Face it, Hart, you’re stuck with me. I knew the second I touched you my life had changed…and you knew it too.”

It always makes me smile. Harrison’s reaction to Gemma’s revelation is perfect in my mind. Those two are made for each other and I love that he figures it out so early on.

4) What types of things/people/music inspires you and makes you want to keep writing?

I get my inspiration from all over the place. Movies are huge for me. I would love to see my stories on the big screen one day. I picture them that way in my head. I always get a tingle running through my body when I watch a movie with a really great kissing scene or an excellent action sequence… anything that makes my emotions start to bubble.

I am inspired by music as well – everything from movie scores to punk rock to country to alternative. I love it all! I even love my toddler’s music, although it’s not that inspiring, just fun to sing along to 🙂

5) Describe your typical writing day or week.

I get up an hour before my family each morning to work on my social media stuff. It takes that long to clear my e-mail, do any blog post stuff I want to do, work through my Facebook notifications and my Twitter news. Time zon wise, it’s the best time for me to do this as there is more traffic around the sites I use.

As soon as my son goes down for his midday nap, I race to my computer. Four out of five days, I spend my time working on my writing and usually one day a week or at least half of one of those sessions is used on admin type things – numbers, blogging, extra marketing stuff. I also get a two-hour sleep in every Sunday morning, so I use that time to write as well. If my husband ever goes out in the evenings, I write once the kids are in bed.

It takes every spare moment I have to keep up with my writing. Thankfully I adore doing it, so it doesn’t feel like hard work.

6) Is there a food or drink do you have to have when you’re writing?

I never eat when I’m writing. It would slow me down too much. I drink a lot of water, but if I’m really tired, I allow myself a small Coca Cola. The caffine boost can be useful sometimes.

7) Can you tell us what you’re working on right now (& possibly provide an excerpt & cover)?

I am working on a Young Adult Fantasy Trilogy. This is my first attempt into this foray and I’m having SO much fun. The first book has been edited, the second book has been written and the third book is in the planning stage. I’m aiming for June, July and August releases for the three books.

Here’s the cover and blurb for the first one:

Darkness is covering the land. As the city of Mezrah grows with power and greed, the rest of the world can only stand by and wait for their inevitable destruction. The only hope against this growing power is an ancient prophecy that people have stopped believing in.

Then a star begins to fall.

Princess Kyla of Taramon stopped believing in the power of light the day her father died. Trapped in a city she does not care for, under the watchful glare of her mother, the queen, she struggles to accept her fate.

Then a star begins to fall.

Jethro has loved Kyla for as long as he can remember. Learning that she was to marry his cousin drove a wedge between him and the feisty princess. Watching her from a distance is a torture he is unable to free himself from.

Then a star begins to fall, sparking an ember of hope and sending two seekers on a treacherous journey into the unknown.

Excerpt from Unknown (The Elements Trilogy: Book 1):(keep in mind this book still needs a final proof read)

“Jethro!” Kyla slapped him on the arm and leaned against the grate, patting her chest. With narrowed eyes, she shot him a glare. “So this is how it is now? You don’t have the decency to talk to me in public, but you do take time out of your precious day to come scare the life out of me down in this foul-smelling tunnel.”

A slow, easy smile lit Jethro’s face. “Where have you been?”

“Why do you even care?”

Jethro’s brawny frame leaned against the stone wall behind him. His eyes glimmered with a knowing smile. “Let’s see, a bow slung over your shoulder, a quiver full of arrows… so not hunting then. I’m guessing target practice,” he clicked his fingers, “in the clearing by the waterhole.”

Kyla bit back a smile.

“How’d you do?”

She raised her chin. “I would have split your arrow in two.”

Jethro’s dark eyebrows jumped up with approval as he nodded his head. “Is that all you got up to?”

“Jethro, what are you doing here?” Kyla snapped.

“I just came to warn you.”

“Of what?”

Jethro frowned, making Kyla’s stomach clench.

“Queen Elaina is wondering why she saw her daughter being chased out of the forest by a guard of Ashan when she should have been studying world history with her tutor.”

Kyla stood up straight and swallowed. “My mother did not see. She’s always at prayers this time of day.”

“She was delayed.” Jethro winced.

The blood drained from Kyla’s face. Biting her lips together, she pulled the bow over her head and cleared her throat.

“You might want to present yourself to her before she has every man in the castle looking for you.”

With a child-like groan, Kyla gripped the end of her bow and rolled her eyes. “Fine.” Slumping her shoulders, she spun away from freedom and started stomping towards the dungeons.

“You may want to go past your chambers on the way. Perhaps tidy up a little?”

She came to an abrupt stop and slowly spun back to face the boy she’d known since birth. “Excuse me?”

Jethro’s lips fought with a grin as he pushed himself off the wall and sauntered towards her. “Just because you hate wearing dresses doesn’t mean she won’t expect to see you in one.” He pointed at the attire she had stolen from her brother years ago. She kept it hidden in a trunk at the end of her bed and only pulled it out when she was sneaking from the castle. If only her mother knew how comfortable they were, she wouldn’t insist on mountains of material that were impossible to run in.

“You’re already in for her wrath.” Jethro tipped his head. “You will only antagonise her more by appearing like this.”

Kyla pushed her tongue against the side of her mouth then huffed. “You know I hate you.”

“With the fire a thousand suns?”

Laughter burst from her mouth before she could stop it. “And more!” She punched him on the arm, missing the familiar banter they used to share as children. The amount of times he had driven her to screams of rage with his playful teasing, but a few punches later and they had been best friends again. She often wondered what had happened between them and wished they could return to past days.

As if Jethro could read her mind, he stepped back from her, the playful smile replaced with a new seriousness she did not care for. “You should get moving.”

Golden Blood: FREE

Gemma Hart never knows when her father is going to whisk her back in time. Her toes start tingling and she has a few minutes to find a secret haven where she can disintegrate and appear in another time and place. While “across the line,” her training and skills are put to the test as she completes a mission that will change history for the lucky few her father has selected.

Gemma’s parents are adamant that secrecy is paramount to her family’s safety. If people knew what they were capable of, they could be “used and abused”, as her mother always says. Afraid she might accidentally utter the truth and break the ancient oath of her people, Gemma spends her school days as a loner. Only one thing can throw her sheltered life askew… Harrison Granger.

Harrison never expected to talk to the strange Hart girl, but after a brief encounter he can’t stop thinking about her. He begins a campaign to chisel away her icy veneer and is met with unexpected consequences. As he slowly wins this girl over, he enters a surreal world that has him fighting to keep his newfound love and his life.

Mica and Lexy have been best friends and next door neighbours since they were eight years old. They share everything and have no secrets from each other until… Tom arrives on Mica’s doorstep – a gorgeous exchange student from England. And Lexy is smitten.

Suddenly both girls are keeping secrets. Mica is hiding news about Tom’s English girlfriend and Lexy hasn’t got the heart to tell her best friend that her brother Eli, the guy Mica is mad on, thinks of her as only a friend.

After a massive fight, the girls decide the best way to mend their friendship is to spend some quality time together. And what better way than to go camping away from their parents and why not invite along the guys they are crushing on.

So the four teenagers embark on a geo-caching expedition into New Zealand’s native bush expecting a long weekend filled with flirtatious fun; instead secrets are exposed as they stumble across a hidden marijuana crop and its gun-wielding watchmen. Forced apart they spend the next forty-eight hours racing blindly in opposite directions as they fight to find each other before the hunters do.

Beautiful, wild-child Nicole Tepper is hit by a car and left for dead. But when she wakes the next morning, Nicole finds herself in bed without a scratch. Perhaps she was more intoxicated than usual, as her mother is giving her the silent treatment and her friends are ignoring her as well.

Things take a turn for the weird when Nicole soon discovers she is actually hovering between life and death. Her body is lying in the forest while her spirit is searching for anyone who can hear her. Unfortunately the only person who can is Dale Finnigan, the guy she publicly humiliated with a sharp-tongued insult that has left him branded.

Desperate, Nicole has no choice but to haunt Dale and convince the freaked-out senior to help her. Will he find her body before it’s too late? Or will the guy who tried to kill her with his car, beat him there and finish her off before anyone finds out?

Happy Friday! Today I’m introducing you to another fabulous author from the Indie YA Author Club, Bryna Butler. Bryna’s young adult paranormal novels feature strong female leads and are woven from elements of horror, suspense, comedy, and mystery, all in a modern, small town setting. Here’s what Bryna had to say when we gave her the YA Indie Carnival quiz:

What is your all-time favorite book and why?I adore The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Its style is like nothing else I’ve ever read. I found it to be almost hypnotic with its imagery and near poetic cadence.

Is there an author you could be compared to or popular fictional characters your book’s characters could relate to and why?

Because I tend to write about strong female characters, I think that one could draw a comparison with Charlaine Harris. I had the opportunity to meet her this summer and, to my surprise, she is a down-to-earth hillbilly just like me.

Can you give us your favorite quote from one of your books and explain it?

One of my favorite quotes comes from my newest book, Shadows Rising. In this scene, Keira faces off against the leader of a group of extremists that believe her charge is keeping her from her destiny. I think this quote is a great mix of Keira’s courage and her youth.

“You keep yapping about my charge being a distraction, but here I am dealing with you again. Leave us and my charge alone or die tonight at my hand. I mean it, jerk wad.”

What types of things/people/music inspires you and makes you want to keep writing?

I’m very inspired by my favorite authors. I often name characters, places and things in my stories in homage to these authors and their work. For instance, in the Midnight Guardian series there is a goth girl named Mikayla Collins whom everyone calls Mikey. Mikey is clearly named in honor of Michael Glass and Shane Collins, two of my favorite characters from Rachel Caine’s Morganville series. Her goth look comes from another beloved character in that series. Also, I’m a huge Joss Whedon fan (who isn’t?). If you look hard enough, you will find several subtle references to Buffy and Firefly sprinkled throughout my books.

Describe your typical writing day or week.

Just call me the “Night Writer”, not because it sounds like an insanely cool superhero, but because it is true. For me, writing typically begins after the kids are tucked into bed somewhere around 9 p.m. I grab a soda from the fridge and settle in with my laptop. Typically, I first re-read and edit the last thing I wrote before I start writing anything new. That refreshes it in my mind and allows me to move forward.

Is there a food or drink do you have to have when you’re writing?

I can’t eat while I write. Sounds good in theory, but it never works in practical application. BBQ sauce on the keys…melted cheese on the screen…a whole chapter about brownies.

Can you tell us what you’re working on right now (& possibly provide an excerpt & cover)?

Shadows Rising was released on January 18th. In this 4th installment in the Midnight Guardian series, Keira and her friends race to rescue her charge before The Harvest and the rise of a new form of evil, the shadows.

Book 5 is well underway with the working title of Book of the Lost and an anticipated late spring release. I’ve also begun work on a young adult werewolf trilogy set in Alaska. The story centers on a girl that walks the line between two feuding werewolf packs.

OF SUN & MOON (Midnight Guardian #1)

Teens are disappearing in a small river town in southern Ohio as Keira Ryan begins her freshman year. Kidnappings aside, her worries mount as she crushes on an older guy, her best friend starts dating a spoiled cheerleader, and the parents that abandoned her at birth arrive at her doorstep. And, oh yeah, she’s a tooth fairy destined to kick some butt and bring about the end of a royal line of vicious, blood-sucking tyrants. Over the years, humans have pieced together sightings and assumptions to create the myth of the tooth fairy. As it turns out, they were pretty much wrong.

WHISPERING EVIL (Midnight Guardian #2)

Keira Ryan has moved on. It’s the start of her sophomore year at Valley View High School. This means big changes like a new guardian mentor, taking (and passing) her driver’s test, dating her best friend, and figuring out how to stop the new Empress Gammen and her reign of terror. Will she survive it all or will she fall victim to the whispering evil that surrounds her?

MIDNIGHT CHILD (Midnight Guardian #3)

Join Keira Ryan as she chases her destiny in this exciting third installment in the Midnight Guardian Series. While Keira searches, her enemies draw closer. A history of trust is tested. A promise of passion turns deadly. A surviving evil creates doubt and there’s only one way to stop it…Find the Gift. Just what do you get the spoiled gremlin queen that has everything?

SHADOWS RISING (Midnight Guardian #4)

Senior year has begun. Keira Ryan should be worrying about the two boys that are vying for her heart. She should be worrying about Prom. She should be worrying about graduation. But instead of a dress, she’s choosing which dagger to carry. In this fourth installment in the series, Keira and her friends race against time to rescue her charge before The Harvest. They must hurry. Their enemies are bringing forth a new evil to sway the balance. The shadows are rising.

Exclusive Shadows Rising Excerpt that you will only see on YA Indie Carnival author sites…

The night was warm, even though a slight breeze stirred. Keira made her way through the soybean field. She knew the way over the uneven path, even if she couldn’t see. That was nearly the case as clouds worked to block out the moon and stars. The air was thick; the kind that always preceded the summer rain.

As the dirt started to dimple here and there, her steps came quicker. Cool drops chilled her shoulders left bare by her tank top. Steps turned into a jog as the two-story farmhouse came into sight. If she ran hard enough, she could reach his porch before the downpour.

In seconds, she covered the yard. Just a few strides more would land her on the steps where she could wait out the rain on the porch.

Maybe that’s why it happened. Keira was so focused on escaping the rain. Her sneaker slid on the wet grass. Arms circled wildly over her head, eager to find balance or support. They landed on clean, soft cloth. Her feet skittered beneath her as the man under the white robe grabbed her hair and pulled her head back.

“The guardian,” a whisper rose and echoed among the small group. “The guardian,” their murmurs above the tumbles of the strengthening rain. “The guardian.”

Hands flew to her sides and held her arms out. She pulled against them, but there were too many. “Let me go,” she screamed.

Immediately, they let go. She hadn’t expected it and fell on her knees.

“We wish you no harm, guardian. We have come for the midnight child. Trust that this is for the best,” a tall man said. His mouth barely moved, unmarked by expression or emotion of any kind.

Rain began to pour over them. Keira scanned the group to etch every face into her memory; two eager young men, perhaps twins, with strong chins and light coloring; a plump, young woman with red curls falling out of her hooded cloak; a buxom brunette with a permanent sneer; and a mustached brute with a nasty scar through his left eyebrow.

Then, her eyes flickered back to the leader, a bald man with soulless black eyes. Him she knew. It had taken her only a moment to realize he was the one that crashed Jumper’s last Halloween party. He had come for her charge that night too.

“You know that I will never allow you to take him.”

“Your loyalty is misplaced with the Hayes family,” the bald man answered with a voice that chilled her to the bone. “Allow us to remove the distraction so that you may fulfill your true destiny.”

“He is not a midnight child. He is my charge.”

“He is of no consequence.”

A crack sounded, causing everyone to look up. A dark figure stood on the edge of the roof. He stepped forward and landed softly on the ground. He stood tall beside Keira.

Brun’s voice was heavy with anger. “You heard her. The child is not to be touched.”

“But…” the leader of the group started.

His dispute was not heard because Brun was behind him in the next second. The shine of Brun’s short sword glistened at the man’s ear.

“If you will not listen, perhaps you do not need this ear,” Brun growled. “From this day forward, let it be known that the guardian and I both protect this child. Whoever dares to approach him will succumb to the full wrath of the Empire and Elsted. You will leave now…ahhh!”

The leader wrenched his dagger out of Brun’s side. Blood dripped from the dagger’s edge. Brun stumbled back, his face a mixture of disbelief and horror.

Next week on the YA Indie Carnival we’ll be discussing Barnes & Noble and Nook apps. All the YA author club members will weigh in on how we feel about working with B&N, so stop by and check it out. Happy reading!

Open Door by Christine Locke is a paranormal suspense set in the beautifully historic town of Eureka Springs, Arkansas. It follows the story of 16 year old Carin White as she moves to town with her “aunt” to work in the big house aunt Helen has inherited. But strange things start happening and Carin quickly realizes that things are not what they seem at Mallace Mansion. When she finds a family album in the attic, her mother reveals the mysterious truth: she isn’t Carin White. She’s Carin Mallace.

My Thoughts

I loved this book because it grabbed your attention right from the first page and drew you into the mystery of the house. I could easily envision the setting of the Mallace estate in lovely Eureka Springs. That city has always captured my imagination. It isn’t difficult to become absorbed in this incredible story where the house is as much a character as the people. You’ll keep reading just to know what happens to Carin as her life becomes increasingly more complicated by the mystery surrounding her. There were surprises from the first chapter until the last page. This book is not meant for very young readers as it deals with some intense drama, but teens and adults alike should enjoy it.

Want More?Come back on Friday to see what Mrs. Locke has to say about writing. She’s got some fabulous advice for you and explains how she developed her story and The Legacy Series. Until then, you can read what her main character, Carin Mallace, has to say about living at Mallace Mansion by visiting The Legacy of Carin Mallace and reading her diary entries. Don’t forget to grab your copy of the book, too!